Striving for Peace and Failing
John L. Waters
May 23, 2006
A person strives, wants, hopes, anticipates, plans for, hopes for, dreams of, and expects to get something he or she desires. Other persons strive for the same goal, however. Consequently competition pervades society and those who have stamina, those who are quick, and those who have great strength get the desired object. In many cases the weak die of neglect.
Yes, often the weak die, at least in spirit. The weak give up because they can't compete and win. Why expend a lot of energy when you lose each and every time? Then a light-bulb flashes in your mind! You procure a weapon. You gain a mechanical advantage over your competitors. Furthermore, to turn the tables, you use your weapon. Ages ago, this tactic separated the relatively weak but ingenious humans from the stronger and more dangerous apes. Today the same tactic is used in schools by weaker children, because the school authorities don't maintain order.
So Mister or Missus Peacemaker, whaddya gonna do? Talk is cheap. Merely praying for the messiah has never brought the peace-teacher.
Many centuries ago an eccentric young man became concerned about the immensity of human suffering, and eventually he became known as "the enlightened one" or The Buddha. His basic idea was attaining contentment with a minimum of demands and attachments. Unfortunately, however, not everyone followed The Buddha, and today there are more greedy goal-setting high achievers than ever before. As an intelligent and well-informed modern person, you are likely to be skeptical of anyone who claims to be a peace teacher. You will say, "Well, if a great man like The Buddha couldn't bring about the desired change, what makes you think that you can do it?" In our modern time the peace issue becomes one of argument and proof. Isn't that funny? It's a paradox. You’ve gotta struggle and strive to teach peace! This ain’t gonna work.
The person who has found true peace will not feel prodded to intrude into the consciousness of other persons with the heavenly message. That is the paradox. Looking at it this way, one realizes that The Buddha was not really The Peacemaker. If he had been so contented, he wouldn't have sought disciples. And so you do not expect The Peacemaker to promote his or her knowledge and truth. On the other hand, realizing this fact might make you feel hopeless. If The Peacemaker never promotes the heavenly truth, then how will you ever find The Peacemaker? Well, you will just have to find the heavenly truth of yourself, by yourself, for yourself, and in yourself.
When you have truly found 100% contentment, it is because each day you have plenty to eat, the air you breathe is fresh and pure, the water you drink is safe to drink, and you have all the other basic securities in your life. You enjoy a pleasant home environment, and you know that someone else isn't going to take your peace away from you.
If this is the case, then you also know that all around you there are other people who are enjoying the same benefits every day. You know this because you know there are some six billion people in the world today, and soon there will be seven billion or more. You realize that for one person to truly be at peace, all the other people on the planet must be enjoying the same blessed estate. Consequently, if you are well-educated and familiar with current events and world affairs, then you will probably laugh your head off at the suggestion that anyone could possibly ever bring peace. Then negativity and cynicism will utterly consume all your will to work for peace. You will have failed to get the point.
To help get the point, each peace-worker has a meditation center where he or she goes and recharges his or her batteries. In this meditation spot one or more peace-workers can remain still and witness the recharging process at work. At the meditation center there are no dangerous stinging insects or men with machine guns. There are no weak ceilings about to collapse on the meditators. There are no nests of poisonous worms or deadly vipers. The peace environment is truly safe and secure. Otherwise people wouldn't go there and experience the sense of renewed safety, optimism, strength, and vigor that the peace center provides. This is why from year to year all the smart anti-peace forces labor to destroy or weaken the meditation centers, and this is why each peace leader actually remains in meditation at all times, even where there are stinging insects and men with machine guns. This helps you know where you can find your peace teacher. Wherever you are, you simply find a person who is in sublime meditation at all times. That person will be your peace teacher.
Well, what is sublime meditation? The sublime meditator is 100% content. Such a person is too content to leave the state of sublime contentment and go beating a drum down the street or flashing a smile saying "look at me!" and "follow me!" and "Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears!" So now you have transcended the paradox. You have found the way.
"Well," you might say, "There have been meditators for ages, and sublime or not, they have not brought peace."
That is because very few persons ever really understood the need for peace. Just think back to your school days. Did any teacher ever teach you about the need for world peace and the way to attain lasting personal peace? Did any teacher ever teach you the basic peace essentials? And was this lesson repeated day after day with the due diligence of a daily math lesson or a daily lesson in using good English? Why you know the answer is "no." Even today, no school is known as "The Peace School." And so what do you expect? People know their English and their Math, but people don’t know much about contentment. That is why there is so much discontent!
Personal peace is a state of being 100% content. Your contentment makes you kind. After you have become a peace teacher, a child who often feels threatened will discover your kindness and want to stay close to you. The reason is because you radiate kindness and this radiance draws people who want to be treated kindly. Alas, however, when there are so many unkind people in society, the person who is at peace gets threatened and withdraws from the society of unkind people. Consequently you can't find the kind teacher. The kind teacher either leaves the area or withdraws into seclusion or becomes unkind the way he or she was before the sense of peace became his or her blessing. This is how society prevents anyone from teaching the peace which has to come.
In ignorance the generations come and go, and the basic peace truth remains obscure. The competitive struggle learned in school consumes both young and old and many weak people die, at least in spirit. People keep on striving for peace and failing. Teachers who compete for love, for votes, or for money can’t bring the peace that has to come.
Copyright 2006 by John L. Waters. All Rights Reserved
LINKS
My website at Humboldt State University
My search for a publisher
My letters of recommendation
Yes, often the weak die, at least in spirit. The weak give up because they can't compete and win. Why expend a lot of energy when you lose each and every time? Then a light-bulb flashes in your mind! You procure a weapon. You gain a mechanical advantage over your competitors. Furthermore, to turn the tables, you use your weapon. Ages ago, this tactic separated the relatively weak but ingenious humans from the stronger and more dangerous apes. Today the same tactic is used in schools by weaker children, because the school authorities don't maintain order.
So Mister or Missus Peacemaker, whaddya gonna do? Talk is cheap. Merely praying for the messiah has never brought the peace-teacher.
Many centuries ago an eccentric young man became concerned about the immensity of human suffering, and eventually he became known as "the enlightened one" or The Buddha. His basic idea was attaining contentment with a minimum of demands and attachments. Unfortunately, however, not everyone followed The Buddha, and today there are more greedy goal-setting high achievers than ever before. As an intelligent and well-informed modern person, you are likely to be skeptical of anyone who claims to be a peace teacher. You will say, "Well, if a great man like The Buddha couldn't bring about the desired change, what makes you think that you can do it?" In our modern time the peace issue becomes one of argument and proof. Isn't that funny? It's a paradox. You’ve gotta struggle and strive to teach peace! This ain’t gonna work.
The person who has found true peace will not feel prodded to intrude into the consciousness of other persons with the heavenly message. That is the paradox. Looking at it this way, one realizes that The Buddha was not really The Peacemaker. If he had been so contented, he wouldn't have sought disciples. And so you do not expect The Peacemaker to promote his or her knowledge and truth. On the other hand, realizing this fact might make you feel hopeless. If The Peacemaker never promotes the heavenly truth, then how will you ever find The Peacemaker? Well, you will just have to find the heavenly truth of yourself, by yourself, for yourself, and in yourself.
When you have truly found 100% contentment, it is because each day you have plenty to eat, the air you breathe is fresh and pure, the water you drink is safe to drink, and you have all the other basic securities in your life. You enjoy a pleasant home environment, and you know that someone else isn't going to take your peace away from you.
If this is the case, then you also know that all around you there are other people who are enjoying the same benefits every day. You know this because you know there are some six billion people in the world today, and soon there will be seven billion or more. You realize that for one person to truly be at peace, all the other people on the planet must be enjoying the same blessed estate. Consequently, if you are well-educated and familiar with current events and world affairs, then you will probably laugh your head off at the suggestion that anyone could possibly ever bring peace. Then negativity and cynicism will utterly consume all your will to work for peace. You will have failed to get the point.
To help get the point, each peace-worker has a meditation center where he or she goes and recharges his or her batteries. In this meditation spot one or more peace-workers can remain still and witness the recharging process at work. At the meditation center there are no dangerous stinging insects or men with machine guns. There are no weak ceilings about to collapse on the meditators. There are no nests of poisonous worms or deadly vipers. The peace environment is truly safe and secure. Otherwise people wouldn't go there and experience the sense of renewed safety, optimism, strength, and vigor that the peace center provides. This is why from year to year all the smart anti-peace forces labor to destroy or weaken the meditation centers, and this is why each peace leader actually remains in meditation at all times, even where there are stinging insects and men with machine guns. This helps you know where you can find your peace teacher. Wherever you are, you simply find a person who is in sublime meditation at all times. That person will be your peace teacher.
Well, what is sublime meditation? The sublime meditator is 100% content. Such a person is too content to leave the state of sublime contentment and go beating a drum down the street or flashing a smile saying "look at me!" and "follow me!" and "Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears!" So now you have transcended the paradox. You have found the way.
"Well," you might say, "There have been meditators for ages, and sublime or not, they have not brought peace."
That is because very few persons ever really understood the need for peace. Just think back to your school days. Did any teacher ever teach you about the need for world peace and the way to attain lasting personal peace? Did any teacher ever teach you the basic peace essentials? And was this lesson repeated day after day with the due diligence of a daily math lesson or a daily lesson in using good English? Why you know the answer is "no." Even today, no school is known as "The Peace School." And so what do you expect? People know their English and their Math, but people don’t know much about contentment. That is why there is so much discontent!
Personal peace is a state of being 100% content. Your contentment makes you kind. After you have become a peace teacher, a child who often feels threatened will discover your kindness and want to stay close to you. The reason is because you radiate kindness and this radiance draws people who want to be treated kindly. Alas, however, when there are so many unkind people in society, the person who is at peace gets threatened and withdraws from the society of unkind people. Consequently you can't find the kind teacher. The kind teacher either leaves the area or withdraws into seclusion or becomes unkind the way he or she was before the sense of peace became his or her blessing. This is how society prevents anyone from teaching the peace which has to come.
In ignorance the generations come and go, and the basic peace truth remains obscure. The competitive struggle learned in school consumes both young and old and many weak people die, at least in spirit. People keep on striving for peace and failing. Teachers who compete for love, for votes, or for money can’t bring the peace that has to come.
Copyright 2006 by John L. Waters. All Rights Reserved
LINKS
My website at Humboldt State University
My search for a publisher
My letters of recommendation
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